Executive Summary

In the light of the pandemic and the financial pressures for East Sussex County Council, it was decided to bring forward the review of the Libraries Strategic Commissioning Strategy 2018-2023 and to launch an updated edition of the Strategy from 2022/23 to ensure the Library and Information Service responds to the changing needs identified and supports the recovery of our residents and businesses.

We have reviewed the progress of the current Strategy and evaluated the offers, services and strategic outcomes delivered currently by the Library and Information Service. Key analysis including the needs assessment, accessibility analysis and property review has been reviewed. Importantly, we have considered any new data and research, and gathered information from external partners and stakeholders about the changing needs of our residents. We have identified those needs that can be supported by the Library and Information Service and where there is a gap in our provision. Based on these findings, no amendments have been made to the Vision and the four key priority outcomes for the Service. They continue to reflect the diverse and changing needs of residents and set a clear direction for service delivery. We have however added new offers to each strategic outcome.

Our Vision, remains unchanged: to provide a Library and Information Service that promotes reading and knowledge as a route to leading fulfilling lives, prioritising our resources and expertise to support the needs of residents and communities in East Sussex to achieve four key outcomes:

· improving child and adult literacy and numeracy

· supporting the economy

· better health and wellbeing

· increasing digital inclusion

This updated edition of the Strategy remains rooted in a robust evidence base which determines how best to deliver a needs-based library service through a commissioning approach.

It is based on clear evidence of need, which enables the Council to prioritise the resources available for the Library and Information Service to deliver the best outcomes for residents. The Strategic Outcomes were developed on the basis that library services can and do support a wide range of needs, directly and indirectly. They enable us to support the Council’s four overarching priority outcomes of driving sustainable economic growth, keeping vulnerable people safe, helping people help themselves, and making best use of resources in the short and long term, as well as enabling us to deliver the Libraries Connected Universal Library Offer which aims to connect communities, improve wellbeing and promote equality through learning, literacy and cultural activity.

Three underlying transformation principles also ensure that the library service works effectively. These are working together, promoting use of libraries and increasing our capacity to add value to what we do.

In order to meet need and provide accessible library and information services, we will continue to deliver our offers from our network of 17 library buildings, our eLibrary, website pages and through outreach activities in community settings. To increase access to books even further, we will provide free reservations so that people can reserve stock from across the whole catalogue and collect it at their local library, making the entire lending stock freely available to all residents.

What does the library and information service look like now?

Libraries and library services offer people the enjoyment of reading for pleasure and access to culture and they also support people in many other ways - to go online and use online services, to find employment or take up new training opportunities, to find information about health and other services in their local community, to improve their sense of wellbeing, to study, to pursue hobbies and interests, and much more. Libraries and library staff can provide the knowledge, information and inspiration to support and empower people to make transformational changes to their lives.

We ensure we keep abreast of strategies and developments in the sector through engagement with the national development agency for libraries, Arts Council England (ACE) and Libraries Connected which provides strategic support to the library sector.

We deliver a range of initiatives, both local and national, often with partners and externally funded, to support literacy and numeracy and to help people into employment by developing their IT skills. Many of these services are delivered with the support of over 400 volunteers.

In 2019/20, there were over 1 million visits to our 17 libraries and just under 1.5 million items borrowed. There is significant growth each year in the number of customers using our eLibrary and downloading eBooks and eMagazines.

Our statutory duty

East Sussex County Council is one of 151 local councils in the UK with a statutory responsibility (a legal duty) to provide a local library service in accordance with the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964. The Act requires each local authority to provide a library service that is ‘comprehensive and efficient’. It is for local decision how the library service best meets this requirement practically, including how many libraries there are, where they are, when they are open, and what each one offers.

Core Offer

We will provide a library service which meets our assessment of current and future needs.

Access to library services

Membership of the Library and Information Service is free to everyone who lives, works or studies in East Sussex.

Access to library services is provided by 17 library buildings across the county, the online eLibrary, the Community Information Service (ESCIS), the Home Library Service and the Prison Library Service at HMP Lewes. To ensure we reach and engage with as many residents as possible we also deliver a range of outreach activities in community settings such as children’s centres.

To enhance access further, from April 2022, we will provide free reservations so that people can reserve books from across the whole catalogue and collect them at their local library, making the entire lending stock freely available to all residents.

Library Buildings

There are 17 libraries in East Sussex, each offering a wide range of quality books for loan, as well as providing access to other material including local history. Every library has free access to computers and Wi-Fi, and we welcome volunteers for a range of roles, including helping others to go online. Eastbourne and Hastings Libraries have Learning and Information Suites where adults can access informal learning as well as gain qualifications in literacy, numeracy and ICT. We deliver activities and events in our libraries and work with partners such as Citizens Advice who deliver services in Uckfield Library and the NHS who carry out health checks in some libraries.

• Battle Library

• Bexhill Library

• Crowborough Library

• Eastbourne Library

• Forest Row Library

• Hailsham Library

• Hampden Park Library

• Hastings Library

• Heathfield Library

• Hollington Library

• Lewes Library

• Newhaven Library

• Peacehaven Library

• Rye Library

• Seaford Library

• Uckfield Library

• Wadhurst Library

Online eLibrary

The eLibrary provides a wide range of online services and resources, available at any time.

Using the eLibrary residents can:

· Download eBooks and eAudiobooks to their own device (computer, phone or tablet) without having to go to a library. This includes high quality fiction and non-fiction for adults and children.

· Download a wide range of eMagazines, both current and backdated copies, free of charge to their own personal device.

· Access our online reference library, which includes lots of information resources such as newspapers, encyclopedias and dictionaries, business information and family history sites.

· Search all the stock across East Sussex County Council libraries using our online catalogue.

· Access their library account, renew their loans and place reservations on items they would like to borrow.

Community Information Service (ESCIS)

Residents can also access ESCIS online. ESCIS is our online database of local and community information and events across East Sussex and Brighton and Hove. It’s an invaluable community resource and supports social prescribing. It is free for organisations to be listed and currently lists over 8,000 organisations.

Home Library Service

We provide a free home library delivery service to customers who cannot easily visit a library due to disability, frailty or caring responsibilities. As well as working with our partners Bexhill Caring Community, we recruit and train volunteers to select and deliver books, not only providing reading material but also helping to combat loneliness and social isolation.

Prison Library Service

The library in HMP Lewes is provided by the Library and Information Service as a traded service. We purchase and manage the book stock, recruit, train and manage staff for the library as well as working with the Prison to deliver initiatives to support literacy.

Summary of Review of Current Strategy

The Review (Appendix One) demonstrates that significant progress has been made in the delivery of offers that meet our four key Strategic Outcomes since the launch of the Strategy in 2018, including:

· an increase in the number of books borrowed by children and young people in 2019/20, which was higher than the previous two years

· an increase in our range of eBooks and eMagazines available online and significant increase in usage

· a focus on supporting people to improve their employment chances through informal and formal learning opportunities to gain confidence and qualifications

· the development of partnerships and initiatives to support health and wellbeing with partners such as the NHS, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and Hygiene Bank,a community initiative to give hygiene, personal care and household cleaning products to those who need them across the UK

· the development of new services to support digital inclusion such as a loan scheme for devices and IT for You at Home, a telephone support service to help people to go online

We have also identified some gaps where we can develop provision of services. These will be addressed in this updated version of the Strategy:

· we will improve the promotion of our support for schools to increase take up of services

· we will codesign our offer for young people to support their study to ensure we meet their needs, and promote the offer

· we will extend our code club provision for children

· we will expand our Step into Reading service to help adults to improve their reading

· we will develop our Jobs Pod offer which provides confidential space, a computer and support for people with online job interviews

· we will develop and expand our initiative to provide free period products in libraries

· we will promote the free access to computers and WiFi in our libraries to improve digital inclusion

· we will continue to develop our IT for You offer, where people are supported by staff and volunteers to use computers to go online.

Summary of the updated Needs Assessment (Technical Appendix One)

We have worked closely with colleagues in Adult Social Care, Public Health and also Children’s Services, as well as external partners to identify emerging or changing needs, including those caused by the effects of the pandemic. In some cases, for example, pupil attainment, data is not yet available which reflects the changing needs. However, we feel it is important to address these needs in this updated Strategy to provide our residents as quickly as possible with the support they require at this challenging time.

We have identified the following additional needs where the Library and Information Service can work with East Sussex County Council colleagues and external partners to provide support and where we currently have gaps in our provision. We will incorporate these into our current offers:

Improving child and adult literacy and numeracy

· We will support children to recover lost education, build their confidence and increase their social interaction by providing homework clubs with enrichment activities to support their physical and mental health

Supporting the economy

· We will increase our services to support people into employment, targeting support for 18-24 year olds who are experiencing high levels of unemployment. We will provide access to training, skills and qualifications, as well as interview support

· We will improve our learning offer by giving learners the option of accessing tutor support remotely so that they have the flexibility they need to study at a library or at home

· We will support SMEs and entrepreneurs to find the information they need by being part of the Brighton & Hove Business and IP hub

Better health and wellbeing

· We will develop initiatives to encourage people, including our volunteers, to return to library buildings, building social interaction and helping to combat isolation

· We will work with colleagues to support programmes which build food security for individuals and communities. Food security means that all people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their food preferences and dietary needs for an active and healthy life

· We will support groups and individuals disproportionately affected by the pandemic and/or other issues including, but not restricted to, people from diverse ethnic backgrounds, carers, people with dementia and learning difficulties, people in temporary accommodation, refugees and asylum seekers by working with partners to deliver appropriate services and activities

· We will work with partners to provide hygiene products to help combat period poverty

· We will support the work of the Family Focus team, working closely with key workers to support their initiatives such as anti-bullying and promoting the benefits of accessing library services to improve resilience

Increasing digital inclusion

· We will work to ensure vulnerable people have access to online services, including health services, by lending equipment as well as providing connectivity to the internet and training for those who need to improve their digital skills

Summary of the updated Accessibility Analysis

The Library and Information Service comprises the physical infrastructure that people can use (e.g. library buildings and the services available within them), the digital services that people can access online without having to visit the library, such as reserving and renewing items, downloading eBooks and eMagazines, and accessing online reference materials and information resources, and outreach services such as the home library service and delivery in community settings.

Stantec was commissioned by East Sussex County Council to prepare an accessibility analysis of the Council’s Library and Information Service. This analysis is an update of the work previously undertaken during the development of the Libraries Strategic Commisioning Strategy which was launched in 2018, with the scope to identify any differences in library accessibility due to updated public transport networks and timetables or changed traffic and highway conditions.

The findings of the Accessibility Analysis combined with the findings of the Needs Assessment enable the Library and Information Service to identify the needs-based library provision (both physical and digital) required to deliver the identified Strategic Outcomes and meet the Council’s statutory duty to provide a “comprehensive and efficient” service.

Population accessibility to East Sussex libraries

The research we undertook for the Libraries Strategic Commissioning Strategy 2018-2023 of the types and duration of journey people make shows that a journey time of 20 to 25 minutes to a library by public transport and car is reasonable.

The accessibility data and analysis has been updated in 2021 and the percentage of the population of East Sussex within a 10-, 20- and 30-minute drive of one of the 17 East Sussex libraries has been calculated. The same calculations have been undertaken for public transport journey time and walking time. There is no significant change to accessibility since the previous analysis.

Analysis shows that over 90% of the population of East Sussex currently live within a 10-minute car journey time of one of the 17 East Sussex libraries. This increases to over 98% of the population for car journey times up to 20 minutes.

For public transport, using 2019’s public transport timetables as the basis for this analysis, 60% of the population of the county lives within a 10-minute journey time of an East Sussex library. This figure rises to 92% for journey times up to 20 minutes, and just over 97% of the population of the county lives within a journey time of 30 minutes by public transport to one of the 17 East Sussex libraries.

These figures are very similar to the analysis carried out in 2017/18 to inform the Strategy.

15% of the population of the county lives within a 10-minute walk of an East Sussex library. This figure rises to 40% for walking times up to 20 minutes and 58% within a 30 minutes’ walk of a library. According to our calculations, 41% of the population of East Sussex has a journey time by foot of in excess of 30 minutes. Our calculations are based on a presumed walking speed of 5km per hour. It is acknowledged that speeds vary, especially for some older people and people with limited mobility.

	minutes	0-10	10-20	20-30
Driving	population	502,879	45,236	6,862
	cumulative population	502,879	548,235	555,097
	cumulative population %	90%	98%	100%

Public Transport 2019 network	population	333,503	177,471	32,109
	cumulative population	333,503	510,974	543,083
	cumulative population %	60%	92%	97%

Public Transport 2020 network	population	331,863	181,870	29,350
	cumulative population	331,683	513,733	543,083
	cumulative population %	59%	92%	97%

Walking	population	84,380	140,531	100,004
	cumulative population	84,830	224,911	324,915
	cumulative population %	15%	40%	58%

Total East Sussex population 2019		555,097

Access to online/digital services

In addition to the physical libraries provided by the Council, the eLibrary service provides another means of accessing library services via the internet, 24 hours per day. The eLibrary offer includes the ability to access the library catalogue, reserve items and renew loans, and download eBooks, eAudiobooks and an extensive range of eMagazines, as well as accessing online reference materials.

Despite the high proportion of residents who are now online, it is recognised that barriers do still exist for some, including a combination of the affordability of devices and broadband or mobile data packages to access these digital services, as well as a lack of skills or confidence to use devices and navigate around the internet, doing things like downloading apps and electronic content.

Age is a key factor in people’s level of digital skills and therefore use of the internet. Whilst 74% of people nationally aged 65-74 had used the internet in the past three months, in a 2016 survey, this figure was only 39% for people aged 75 and over.

Based on income levels, the Accessibility Analysis also shows that residents in a small number of areas of East Sussex, in proximity to the main towns of Rye, Hastings, Bexhill, Eastbourne, Newhaven, Peacehaven, Lewes and Hailsham may be less able to access the Library and Information Service’s digital services due to the affordability of broadband, mobile data packages and the costs of devices. Small geographical areas around Rye, Hastings and Eastbourne are also where residents are more likely to not have the digital skills required to access the eLibrary services independently.

The areas of the county where people’s age is likely to be a factor which creates a barrier to eLibrary accessibility because they are less likely to use the internet is geographically slightly wider, and is around the coastal towns of Hastings, Bexhill, Eastbourne, Seaford and Peacehaven. Areas around the towns of Crowborough, Heathfield, Uckfield, Hailsham and Lewes are also included.

In these areas people are more likely to rely on access to a library building to use the resources available. Staff in libraries can help people access the resources they need, and both staff and computer buddy volunteers can help people who lack digital skills to get online and help narrow the digital divide.

Outreach services

Since the launch of the Strategy in 2018, the Service has focussed on support for the most vulnerable people many of whom are isolated for a range of reasons, including young people with mental health issues and supported families.

There is an increase in our outreach offer to communities with higher need, for example, we are working closely with children’s centres in areas of the highest need, targeting schools in areas of the highest need and supporting the literacy work of the Hastings Opportunity Area.

Summary of the updated Property Review

East Sussex Library and Information Service has a network of 17 public library buildings, which host over 1 million visits annually. Many libraries offer services delivered by, or in partnership with, other organisations. The County Council owns 12 of the 17 libraries, and the remainder are leased from public sector or private landlords. The Library and Information Service also leases Ropemaker Park in Hailsham, which is the central storage and distribution point for library stock and base for some staff. Ropemaker Park is also the County Council’s records centre.

The total running cost of our buildings, excluding Ropemaker Park, is approximately £959,000 per year, excluding staffing costs, refurbishment costs and income. Around £487,000 is spent on business rates, £241,000 on maintenance and £191,000 on rents and service charges. Utility costs make up the remainder of around £40,000 per year.

With 1 million visitors annually, wear and tear on library buildings, furniture and fittings is inevitable. Worn and damaged items can quickly pose a risk to the health and safety of customers and staff or become damaged beyond economic repair. In the past decade the County Council has spent approximately £12.1 million on improvements to and major refurbishment of East Sussex library buildings.

East Sussex County Council has committed to a capital programme of expenditure for libraries until 2030. Each year we work on projects for our libraries to ensure they are safe, in a good state of repair and that they meet the needs of our customers.

It is estimated that for the 17 library buildings the service currently operates, this will cost approximately £2.5 million over the next five years or approximately £513,000 per year, in addition to annual maintenance costs of approximately £241,000.

We continuously review our buildings, space and partnership opportunities to generate rental income to mitigate savings or to reinvest in services. Income from partners helps to offset the running costs of libraries, whilst helping them to reduce their expenditure on premises by co-locating. We will continue to assess and seek out opportunities to utilise these in the best way possible. Most libraries have movable shelving and furniture which enable the layout to be changed to accommodate a wide range of different potential uses.

As a result of continued efforts to maximise the opportunity for leases and medium term rentals with local partners and other East Sussex County Council teams, the Library and Information Service will generate approximately £300,000 per year.

The Library and Information Service will continue to identify whether library services could be delivered in the same locality in a more cost-effective way. The Service will also continue to seek out new partnerships to share accommodation with other organisations, in order to reduce costs or to deliver a better service in conjunction with other services, or both.

East Sussex Libraries: The Way Forward, updated edition

Strategic Commissioning Strategy 2022/33 to 2027/28

In light of this new analysis, information and evidence, we have produced an updated edition of the Libraries Strategic Commissioning Strategy for 2022/23 to 2027/28 which addresses emerging needs and reinforces the work of the Library and Information Service to support residents who are most disadvantaged and vulnerable, whilst continuing to provide a high quality range of universal services for everyone in East Sussex.

Summary

The Library and Information Service will continue to provide a range of quality materials and personalised support for people’s different needs, so they can enjoy the pleasure and benefits of reading as well as the better life chances that literacy and numeracy unlock. We will provide reliable information and services to promote good health, and support people to manage their own health and the health of those they care for. We will target our spending on stock and resources to ensure that it supports the delivery of Strategic Outcomes. We will also continue to provide, both in libraries and online, training and guidance for people of all abilities seeking to learn and to work, so they are able to build skills and confidence in a supportive environment.

We will provide access to library services through our eLibrary, continuing to expand the range of online services and materials that are offered. We will promote the eLibrary more widely, ensuring that our customers have a much better understanding of the resources it offers and confidence to use it, and we will actively promote the benefits of the eLibrary to different groups according to their needs. Recognising that digital exclusion is a significant issue for some people due to the cost of home broadband or mobile internet and because some people have never had the opportunity to learn digital skills, we will continue to provide free access to computers and Wi-Fi in libraries as well as developing our service to lend devices and provide support for people to use these at home. We will provide free training for people to use technology and the internet, so they are able to independently access vital information and services and participate in the benefits of the digital world, including our growing eLibrary. We will also develop our community information website, ESCIS, as a tool for social prescribing and a source of information about community events and activities.

We will also focus on outreach provision, working closely with other County Council services and partners to make sure that we reach directly the communities and individuals with the greatest needs. We will promote and deliver our offer more closely with other services in different settings (for example other service locations, community venues including Early Help settings and people’s homes).

We will continue to provide a range of services through our Children and Young People’s Literacy offer, and this will include literacy support and outreach work for pre-school and school age children and their families. We will work with schools and the Schools Learning and Effectiveness Service (SLES) to develop Homework Clubs and to provide study space to provide children and young people with access to resources and support that can help them recover lost education, gain confidence, study and revise, and we will run Code Clubs and other science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) activities, helping children learn skills that could unlock a wide range of future career opportunities. In addition, we will support schools in areas with highest needs free of charge and continue to provide some charged services to all schools. We will also continue to provide teachers in East Sussex schools with a membership which allows them to borrow items on a long loan from libraries for use in the classroom.

We will enhance the role of libraries as cultural spaces within their communities, developing our Culture Offer with an expanded programme of free or paid events in libraries to support the wider cultural economy of the county. Working more closely with other cultural and heritage institutions in East Sussex we will promote libraries as spaces that can be used for the arts, covering activities such as creative writing workshops, book and poetry readings, exhibition areas, and venues for outreach by other cultural organisations.

We will provide a network of 17 library buildings in appropriate locations across the county according to need, ensuring that there remains a very high level of accessibility to a library within a reasonable journey time of 20-25 minutes by car or public transport. These 17 libraries are Battle, Bexhill, Crowborough, Eastbourne, Forest Row, Hailsham, Hampden Park, Hastings, Heathfield, Hollington, Lewes, Newhaven, Peacehaven, Rye, Seaford, Uckfield and Wadhurst. We will work with partners to make the best use of space within these buildings, which will result in some new services being offered in libraries.

We will continue to develop the Home Library Service for those who are unable to travel to libraries or use the eLibrary, working with partners to engage residents who would most benefit from accessing the service.

Delivery of a needs-based library service

A needs-based library service means a library service where we prioritise our resources towards the achievement of outcomes that will best meet the needs of those who live, work and study in East Sussex.

The table below summarises the needs identified during the development of the Libraries Strategic Committsioning Strategy which was launched in 2018. and has been updated where new data is available. The revised Needs Assessment can be found at Technical Appendix 1

Reading, literacy and numeracy

Children who are disadvantaged do worse at school than those from non-disadvantaged backgrounds.

In 2019, At the end of primary school (Key Stage 2) only 58.6% of disadvantaged pupils reached the expected standard for reading, 65.5% for writing, and 57.5% for grammar, punctuation, and spelling, compared with 77.6%, 84.2%, and 78.5% respectively for non-disadvantaged pupils.

At GCSE (Key Stage 4) 39.6% of disadvantaged pupils achieved grade 4 or above in both English and maths, compared with 71.1% of non-disadvantaged pupils.

In 2019, about 28% of East Sussex state school pupils were disadvantaged at Key Stage 2 and 23% at Key Stage 4.

Parts of the county have an adult population with literacy and numeracy skills below a level which means they could not compare products and services for the best buy or work out a household budget.

Literacy and numeracy skills underpin success in all walks of life, and libraries have a key role to play in ensuring children, in particular, have the building-blocks for future academic and employment success, thereby improving people’s prosperity, their health and their wellbeing. Young children’s early communication and vocabulary skills are particularly important. In addition, the health and wellbeing benefits of reading for pleasure are evident for adults as well as children and young people.

The Library and Information Service has the potential to support the literacy needs of every child, although some children are likely to have higher needs than others, such as those living in households with low incomes, those with Special Educational Needs and those without English as a first language. Where there are low adult literacy rates it is expected that this will create a need that can be positively met through access to library services.

Economic Development

In 2020, 6.1% of the working age population (16–64-year-olds) were unemployed in the county compared to 4.6% in England and 3.9% in the South East. Hastings has the highest percentage at 5.6% of unemployment and Rother has the lowest percentage at 3.5%.

There are 23 areas of East Sussex ranked within the 10% most deprived areas of England in terms of levels of employment, including 17 in Hastings, 7 in Eastbourne and 3 in Rother.

The Library and Information Service can provide access to online information about job vacancies and training and skills development opportunities, and support individuals directly to develop skills such as applying for jobs and learning new literacy, numeracy and ICT skills. This can also boost self-confidence and preparedness for a job interview, increasing the chances of getting into or back into work.

Disability and long-term ill health are factors which can prevent people from obtaining a job when they want to work and being out of the workplace for long periods of time can have a further impact on people’s skills, levels of confidence and mental health.

Health and Wellbeing

13 areas of East Sussex are ranked within the 10% most deprived areas of England in terms of health deprivation and disability, including 1 in Hastings, 1 in Eastbourne and 1 in Rother.

The county has a higher percentage (25.9%) of residents aged 65 and over compared to England (18.4%). The highest percentage of residents aged 65 and over is in Rother and the lowest percentage is in Hastings.

Average life expectancy by borough or district varies by just under four years. Hastings has the lowest (79.8) and Lewes has the highest (83.5)

There are health and wellbeing needs which the Library and Information Service can meet by supporting community and individual resilience, health improvement and reducing health inequalities. These needs can be met through the provision of safe and inclusive spaces, quality assured self-help information and resource materials tailored for residents of all ages, as well as direct signposting to other services.

In particular, the Library and Information Service can provide resources and information to enable people to take greater ownership of their own health and wellbeing, to be more resilient, increasingly independent, self-sufficient and resourceful, and thus better able to help themselves.

Research has identified the positive benefits of reading for mental health, as well as the positive correlation between literacy and a person’s ability to access health information. Those in greatest need are people in poor mental or physical health or at risk of developing health problems, particularly people with a long-term health problem or disability.

The highest health deprivation levels and disability measures are concentrated in the coastal towns, either in central residential areas or large estates on the edge that often have other income, employment and social exclusion issues. There are some pockets of health deprivation in each of the three more rural districts, but usually associated with the mid-sized towns. One area with a relatively high percentage of residents with long term illness is east Bexhill. Other high levels are found in Eastbourne, Hastings, St. Leonards and Newhaven.

Digital Exclusion

Information is increasingly moving to digital platforms and there continues to be a social divide between those who have easy access to the internet and those who are offline. On digital inclusion, the needs which have been identified are the ability to access and use the internet to get information about skills and employment opportunities, health and wellbeing information, and accessing the more competitive online marketplace for goods and services, which can help households on low incomes.

Behind these needs are the affordability of home or mobile internet provision, the lack of basic digital skills (which is linked to low levels of educational attainment and also to age) and, to a lesser extent, the availability of broadband technology.

There are 20 areas in the county that are ranked within the 10% most deprived areas of England in terms of household income. This includes 14 areas in Hastings, 3 in Eastbourne and 3 in Rother.

Vision and Strategic Outcomes

We have carried out reviews of our Needs Assessment and Accessibility Analysis and there are no significant changes since 2018, therefore our Vision and Strategic Outcomes will remain unchanged. However, we are seeking to develop some of our existing services and launch new services to address gaps in our provision due to emerging and changing needs of our residents.

We will provide a Library and Information Service that promotes reading and knowledge as a route to leading fulfilling lives. We will prioritise our resources and expertise to support the needs of residents and communities in East Sussex to achieve four key outcomes:

Improving child and adult literacy and numeracy. We will provide a range of quality materials and personalised support for people’s different needs, so they can enjoy the pleasure of reading as well as the better life chances that literacy and numeracy unlock for people.

Supporting the economy. We will provide training and guidance for people of all abilities seeking to learn and to work, so they are able to build skills and confidence in a supportive environment.

Better health and wellbeing. We will promote reading as a source of wellbeing, provide reliable information and services to promote good health, and support people to manage their own health and the health of those they care for.

Increasing digital inclusion. We will provide free access to computers and Wi-Fi, and paid access to printers and scanners, training for people to use technology and the internet, so they are able to independently access vital information and services and participate in the benefits of the digital world.

We will ensure that in working to deliver our Strategic Outcomes we will meet our statutory duty to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service for everyone who lives, works and studies in East Sussex. They also enable us to support the Council’s four overarching priority outcomes of driving sustainable economic growth, keeping vulnerable people safe, helping people help themselves, and making best use of resources in the short and long term, as well as supporting delivery of the Libraries Connected Universal Library Offer which aims to connect communities, improve wellbeing and promote equality through learning, literacy and cultural activity

Each Strategic Outcome will be delivered through a range of different services, provided by the Library and Information Service according to evidence of need across the county as a whole and within specific communities.

As well as analysing new data and research, we have worked with external organisations and colleagues in Adult Social Care , Public Health and also Children’s Services to identify emerging or changing needs, including those caused by the effects of the pandemic. In some cases, for example, pupil attainment, data is not yet available which reflects the changing needs. However, we feel it is important to address these needs in this updated Strategy to provide our residents with the support they require at this challenging time.

Improving child and adult literacy and numeracy

Supporting the economy

· We will increase our services which support people into employment, targeting support for 16-24 year olds who are experiencing high levels of unemployment. We will provide access to training, skills and qualifications, as well as interview support

· We will work with East Sussex County Council colleagues and external partners to help job seekers by lending them devices and providing training so they can access websites and information to help with their job search and improve their skills

Better health and wellbeing

· We will develop initiatives to encourage people, including our volunteers, to return to library buildings, building social interaction and helping to combat isolation

· We will support groups and individuals disproportionately affected by the pandemic and/or other issues including, but not restricted to, people from diverse ethnic backgrounds, people with dementia and learning difficulties, people in temporary accommodation, refugees and asylum seekers by working with partners to deliver appropriate services and activities

· We will work with partners to provide hygiene products to help combat period poverty

Increasing digital inclusion

Transformation principles

In addition to the Vision and Strategic Outcomes we will continue to work according to three underlying principles:

· Working together

We will work together with other council services as ‘One Council’ and with partners outside of the Council, making the most of limited public resources to deliver shared goals and the County Council’s priority outcomes.

· Promoting use of libraries

We will stimulate use of library services where there is need, with an increased focus on audience development and marketing so that as many people as possible who are able to benefit from the Library and Information Service know what is on offer and how to access it. We will develop a marketing strategy which includes a clear approach to use of social media to engage with hard to reach groups.

· Increasing our capacity to add value to what we do

We will continue to build close relationships with communities and other partners, developing new volunteering opportunities to deliver additional services that will support a wider range of needs. We will seek new external funding opportunities

Our offers

Improving child and adult literacy and numeracy

Fiction and non-fiction reading materials for all ages and needs. We will provide a wider range of quality materials and tailored support for people’s different needs, so they can enjoy the pleasure of reading and the better life chances that literacy and numeracy unlock for people. We will ensure that our spending on stock is closely aligned to the Strategic Outcomes for this Strategy. We will maintain the proportion of our stock spending on children’s fiction and non-fiction, to support child literacy and ensure we provide resources to support adults who experience difficulties with reading. We will also spend proportionally more of our stock fund on resources and information to enable people to take greater ownership of their own health and wellbeing, to be more resilient, increasingly independent, self-sufficient and resourceful.

We will provide free reservations so that people can reserve stock from across the whole catalogue and collect it at their local library, making the entire lending stock freely available to all residents. The choice of titles and websites available to download from the eLibrary, the online library service, will be increased and prioritised according to countywide needs.

Children and Young People’s Literacy and Numeracy offer. We will work closely with other services for children and young people of all ages (including pre-school) and in all settings, to encourage children and their families to use the library service. The offer comprises:

· Literacy and numeracy support for pre-school children and their families. We will continue to provide rhyming and storytelling activities in all libraries or community settings, prioritised according to local needs. This supports pre-school learning and development of speech and language, as well as supporting socialisation and participation in group activities. We will ensure staff and volunteers are trained appropriately to maximise the benefits of the sessions for families

· Literacy and numeracy support for school age children and young people. We will work with schools and other providers to improve children and young people’s literacy, numeracy and personal development by promoting the library service, its resources and targeted activities, such as the Summer Reading Challenge. We will support projects to combat bullying and to promote inclusion

Outreach services for pre-school children and their families. We will work with Early Help services to support family learning and development in areas of higher need, delivering services in children’s centres and through health workers
Support for schools. We will offer free teacher loans across the county as well as targeted, free services in areas of identified need. We will provide additional resources to support literacy and numeracy to all schools on a pay-as-you-go basis
Homework clubs in libraries. We will deliver homework clubs aimed at 5-11 year olds in selected libraries. These will be targeted to those in need and designed to be accessible. They will either be staff or volunteer led and will provide a dedicated space and time for children to do their homework, be heard reading and catch up on their learning, with supervision and support. Children can, of course, use the library at any time for study or reading for pleasure. We will also offer enrichment activities to support wellbeing, such as creative writing
Study Clubs in libraries. We will consult with older children and young people aged 14-18 on how we can best support their study and then co-design initiatives. We will offer meeting rooms in libraries which can be booked for independent study and we will deliver information literacy sessions in secondary schools to support students to find, evaluate, use and communicate information. Children and young people can, of course, use the library at any other time for study or revision

Literacy and numeracy support for children and adults with disabilities. We will support children and adults with disabilities and long term health conditions, such as visual impairments, to be confident using adapted reading materials and technology.

Literacy and numeracy support for adults with low literacy and numeracy. We will develop our Step into Reading programme at a minimum of 4 libraries across the county to help people to improve their reading. Step into Reading matches volunteers with people who would like to improve their reading at their own pace, perhaps to improve their job chances or to be able to support their children’s learning. We will seek referrals/signposting from other agencies and organisations who work in areas of higher need and who engage with those who would most benefit from this initiative.

Home Library Service for isolated or vulnerable residents. We will develop our free Home Library Service to improve engagement with vulnerable people who are lonely or isolated. The service is supported by volunteers who deliver books and other resources from the local library to people who cannot easily use a library due to disability or frailty or who are caring for someone who cannot be left. It provides invaluable social contact as well as supporting reading for wellbeing and pleasure.

Our offer for supporting the economy

Support to improve IT skills for work. We will provide free online training resources to help people look for and secure jobs as well as improving their ICT skills. We will offer Job Pods, confidential spaces and support to use technology for job interviews.

Space to work and study. We will provide free space in all libraries for children and adults to study or work, with free access to computers, the internet and other library resources.

Code Clubs for children. We will provide Code Clubs in selected libraries. Our Code Clubs are part of a nationwide network of after-school coding clubs for children aged 8-12 years old. Using specially created Code Club materials, the sessions are designed to build confidence and encourage creativity in 3 different coding languages, helping children learn computing skills that could unlock a wide range of future career opportunities. We will broaden this offer to parents and explore sessions for adults. We will also offer other STEM activities to help children learn new skills and build their confidence.

Support for young people 16-24. We will provide support for young people aged 16-24 to improve their employment chances. This will include a wide range of activities to build their confidence, improve their literacy and numeracy, provide access to volunteering opportunities as well as promoting our health and wellbeing resources to support their physical and mental health.

Development of our Culture Offer. We will work closely with other cultural and heritage institutions in East Sussex to provide an expanded programme of free or paid events in libraries to support personal development and the wider cultural economy, with particular emphasis on local literature and the creative industries in the county. Wherever possible, we will seek external funding to deliver free events and activities. We will also promote libraries as spaces that can be used for the arts, covering activities such as creative writing workshops, book and poetry readings, exhibition areas, and venues for outreach by other cultural organisations.

We will promote events being run by community organisations in Brighton & Hove and East Sussex on our community information database, ESCIS.

Learning Services. We will offer online accredited courses for individuals to improve their skills and gain qualifications in English, Maths and ICT. We will improve our offer by giving the option of accessing tutor support remotely so that learners have the flexibility to study at a centre or at home.

Our offer for better health and wellbeing

Fiction and non-fiction reading materials for all ages and needs. We will provide these in all libraries to support the health and wellbeing benefits of reading for pleasure. Different formats and a choice of titles will be provided in each library prioritised according to local needs and we will continue to expand the range of titles on our eLibrary.

Self-help materials and support for all ages and needs. We will provide self-help materials online and in all libraries to support health and wellbeing, as well as signposting to other services, prioritised according to local needs.

Health and wellbeing information for all ages and needs. We will provide reliable sources of health information online and in all libraries with guidance to other services. We’ll support health initiatives such as food security, working with partners to signpost residents to our resources.

Physical and mental health support. We will work with other services, such as Public Health, to increase the range of health initiatives offered within libraries such as health checks and smoking cessation clinics These will be prioritised according to local needs and by the services providing them. We will work with partners, including Adult Social Care and Health, to provide resources to support positive mental health. We will work with charity organisations to provide free period products in libraries.

Outreach for isolated or vulnerable residents. We will develop our Home Library Service to provide a wide range of reading materials in appropriate formats delivered to isolated or vulnerable residents by volunteers to help combat loneliness.

Our offer for increasing digital inclusion

Access and support to use computers and Wi-Fi. We will continue to provide free access to People’s Network computers and Wi-Fi in all libraries. We will review usage of computers to ensure we have good access in all libraries and promote this offer more effectively.

Access and support to access online services at home. We will continue to develop and expand our new initiative launched last year to lend tablets and laptops with access to the internet to digitally excluded people. We will provide support to help people to access the online services they need for health information, job seeking, social contact etc.

Support to use technology and the internet. Computer Buddies volunteers will provide personalised support in libraries and community settings, prioritised according to local need. This will be expanded to offer support to people to use the eLibrary confidently.

We will support a route to inclusion. Those that wish to develop skills further can do so through free IT For You courses which will be provided at a number of libraries and Learning Services. These courses will have a focus on increasing employability.

Delivering the offers - how we will deliver library services

We will continue to deliver our offers from our network of 17 library buildings, our eLibrary, our community information service ESCIS, website pages and through outreach activities in community settings.

In terms of our buildings, our refurbishment programme is providing the vital investment required to maintain the library buildings and ensure they are designed to best meet the needs of customers into the future. When undertaking refurbishments, we will review how the library is used by customers and the needs of the local community. Any work to refurbish library buildings or build new library buildings will be in line with the Council’s target of achieving carbon neutrality. We will work with existing and new partners to connect and engage with those most in need to raise awareness of how we can support them.

We have identified changing and emerging needs due to the Covid-19 pandemic and have added new offers in support of these needs. We will work with Adult Social Care and Children’s Services, as well as external organisations, to target and engage with those who would most benefit from our services, improving communication and marketing.

It has also become apparent in the Covid-19 pandemic that there remains a keen interest to help and connect with our communities through volunteering. Volunteers continue to play a valuable role in providing a rich and varied library service which is connected to the community.

Following successful bids for funding, we are trialling new projects in 2021/22 which are aimed at improving wellbeing, combatting isolation and improving employment chances for those most affected by the pandemic. These projects will inform our work going forward and are targeted to those most in need.

Projects include:

· Development of an existing tablet loan scheme established last year to help to combat digital exclusion. We will increase the number of tablets available, recruit and train more volunteers to support the project, and work with colleagues in Adult Social Care and Children’s Services to set up a referral scheme for those most in need

· The expansion of our Step into Reading initiative, where volunteers are trained to help adults to improve their reading

· Homework clubs to help children to recover lost education and regain a sense of wellbeing through enrichment activities

· Support to help older children and young people to study effectively by providing study space, resources and information literacy sessions

· Development of the Home Library Service to help combat loneliness and isolation

· A new offer for young people aged 16-24 to build confidence, improve their health and wellbeing and help them increase their employment chances

We will trial new ways of working and delivering services and evaluate the outcomes for our residents. We will embed good practice into our business planning.

Accessing the offers – how residents can access library services

Based on the evidence of need shown in our Needs Assessment, we will continue to provide a range of different ways to access our services and with an increasing focus on online provision and library services delivered in other settings (for example other service locations, community venues and people’s homes). This enables us to meet a wider range of needs.

There are three key ways in which people can access the offers:

An enhanced eLibrary service

We will continue to expand the range of online services and materials that are offered through the eLibrary, our online library service. We will actively promote the benefits of the eLibrary to different groups according to their needs in the following ways:

· Step by step video guides on our website, which will show users all of the different things that they can do with the eLibrary, from downloading eBooks and eMagazines, to searching the catalogue and reserving or renewing an item

· We will continue to include regular articles on the eLibrary and the resources it has available to users in our monthly e-newsletter to all library members who subscribe

· Our computer buddies and staff will be on hand within libraries to support any customers who would like a demonstration or help in accessing the eLibrary

· Outreach sessions will be delivered to engage those who are hard to reach

A focus on outreach

We will work closely with other County Council services and partners to make sure that we reach communities and individuals with the greatest needs. We will promote and deliver our offer, working closely with other services in different settings including children’s centres, schools, youth centres and community venues. We will develop our loan services to care homes which had to be suspended in 2020/21.

We will continue to develop our Home Library Service where volunteers deliver library services through outreach to people in their homes, according to their needs. We have initiated a project to examine the current model for the Home Library Service, and to recommend how it can be developed to engage with more people who would benefit from access. The results of this piece of work will be acted upon to improve the quality and reach of the service.

IT for You at Home is a new initiative launched during 2020. Participants are lent a device with internet access and are supported to use online services from home. We are aiming to expand access to the project by procuring up to 1000 devices (tablets, chromebooks), building up our bank of trained volunteers and continuing to develop the referral system for key workers to put forward participants.

We will continue to offer schools a range of services:

Support for Schools

Free services (for all schools)

- We will provide teachers in East Sussex schools with a membership which allows them to borrow items on a long loan from libraries for use in the classroom. Teachers will be able to apply for a Teachers Library Membership on behalf of their school, enabling them to reserve items online from a special Schools Catalogue, both fiction and non-fiction, to support the curriculum and promote reading for pleasure. The Teachers Library Membership will allow 30-40 items to be borrowed at a time. Teachers will be able to pick up and return books to an East Sussex library of their choice.

Support for Schools

Charged services (available to all schools)

- Participation in an annual event to promote reading (Children’s Book Award or Book Club)

- Stock selection and purchase on behalf of the school – our librarians will help schools to make the best of their budget by selecting a range of titles (non-fiction or fiction) for them; schools can benefit from their expertise and our discounts on stock purchase

- Advice on management of a school library - training for teachers/volunteers on running a school library

- Any other relevant training for teachers we can provide (bespoke services)

Free services (for primary and special schools in areas of need)

- Our librarians will work with families, children and teachers in schools through an outreach programme to contribute to literacy and numeracy, targeting need and working in partnership with Children’s Services. Activities could include introducing children to a range of books to encourage reading, and involvement with family learning, depending on the specific needs of the school.

- Our librarians will work closely with schools to ensure children, families and teachers can maximise use of public library resources, both in hard copy and online.

- Our free services will be targeted to areas of need and prioritised according to the needs of the school community and our capacity to support the requests we receive.

- These services will also be available to schools in all areas on a chargeable basis

A network of library buildings

We will continue to provide 17 libraries in appropriate locations across the county according to need and in order to maintain a high level of accessibility. Library opening hours will remain unchanged. In addition, we will continue to deliver outreach activities in community settings to engage with those most hard to reach groups and will continue to develop our online resources.

Our network of library buildings:

Battle	Hollington
Bexhill	Lewes
Crowborough	Newhaven
Eastbourne	Peacehaven
Forest Row	Rye
Hailsham	Seaford
Hampden Park	Uckfield
Hastings	Wadhurst
Heathfield

East Sussex County Council has committed to a capital programme of expenditure for libraries until 2030. Each year we will work on projects to refurbish our libraries to ensure they are safe, in a good state of repair and that they meet the needs of our customers. It is estimated that for the 17 library buildings, this will cost around £2.5 million over the next five years or approximately £513,000 per year. This is in addition to the annual maintenance costs of around £241,000.

The Library Service will continue to assess space within our libraries to ensure they are used to their fullest potential. Since the implementation of the Strategy in 2018, the way customers use the library space continues to change. Visitors to libraries and the number of books borrowed from library buildings continue to decrease and use of online services continues to increase. The Library and Information Service will continue to identify whether library services could be delivered in the same locality in a more cost-effective way.

Operational bases for parking enforcement staff have been provided in Hastings, Eastbourne and Lewes libraries since July 2018, with the Library and Information Service delivering some of the functions of the three Parking Shops from these libraries. This joint venture enables parking services to be delivered at a lower cost due to the sharing of overheads and other operational costs, as well as generating income for the Library and information Service. We also let space in our buildings to a range of partners including the Citizens Advice in Uckfield Library and the NHS in Heathfield Library. The Service will continue to seek new partnerships to share accommodation with other organisations, in order to reduce costs or to deliver a better service in conjunction with other services, or both.

Community Library Membership

We introduced a new Community Library Membership in 2018/19. This allows communities to borrow a range of items which can be made available locally to the community. The Community Library Membership requires someone in the community to apply for the Community Library Membership and to take a lead role to organise the collection and make it available. We will review this model as we have found there are barriers to usage for communities. It can prove difficult to keep track of the books on loan and we are finding that the books are not exchanged regularly, negating the advantage of being able to introduce fresh items into the collection. We will consult with community library members and introduce a new model which works better for them.

HMP Lewes

The library in Lewes Prison is provided by the Library and Information Service as a traded service, which means that it is self-financing. We will continue to provide this service subject to any future negotiations with the prison authorities. It is recognised that the prison community does have specific needs which the library supports, but these are not assessed as part of the Libraries Strategic Commissioning Strategy.

Community and partner involvement

Volunteering opportunities

Our Library and Information Service is supported by over 400 volunteers who play a vital role in enabling us to deliver the full range of services we provide. Volunteering with the Library and Information Service is a way to meet new people, learn new skills and support the community. Roles include delivering our home library service, supporting our bookshop, children’s activities, providing support for using computers and more. We train all volunteers in their specific roles and meet regularly with them to ensure all is going smoothly.

We will continue to develop existing and new volunteering opportunities to deliver the Strategy as well as looking at ways we can enhance the benefits of volunteering.

We are always keen to hear from anyone who is interested in volunteering with us, please follow the link below or ring 0345 6080196 for more information.

Our roles | East Sussex County Council

Equality assessment

The Library and Information Service considers inclusivity of those with protected characteristics as a core element of its offer and strives to develop its offer with the evolving needs of its users. Actions were developed as part of the EQIA completed in 2018 to improve access to services for those with shared protected characteristics.

We have carried out a new assessment which builds upon those actions, many of which will continue, but also looks to ensure the Library and Information Service is working effectively with local and national partners to ensure the Library and Information Service offer is relevant and suitable for its varied user-base. Whether it is working to ensure those from varying age groups have access to materials and information that will improve their lives or providing a wider range of language materials for those for whom English is an additional language, the Library and Information Service will strive to ensure the service is inclusive of all.

Implementing and monitoring the Libraries Strategic Commissioning Strategy

We will develop key performance indicators for the implementation of the updated Strategy as part of the business planning process for the Library and Information Service and through the Council’s public reporting on the Council Plan and Portfolio Plans. These will enable the Council and members of the public to monitor the implementation of the Strategy and its delivery of the Vision and Strategic Outcomes.

Supporting information

The updated edition of the Libraries Strategic Commissioning Strategy is supported by a number of other documents.

There are two appendices to the updated Libraries Strategic Commissioning Strategy and three technical appendices.

§ Appendix 1. Review of implementation of the Libraries Strategic Commissioning Strategy from 2018-2021

§ Appendix 2. Equality Impact Assessment. This document determines the impact of the updated Libraries Strategic Commissioning Strategy on equalities

· Technical Appendix 1. Needs assessment

· Technical Appendix 2. Accessibility Analysis

· Technical Appendix 3. Property Review

Together these documents also fulfil the legal duty of the Council to produce an assessment of needs for the changes we are making, which demonstrates that, by implementing them, we will continue to meet our statutory duty to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service.

Produced by the Library and Information Service

East Sussex County Council

County Hall

St Anne’s Crescent

Lewes BN7 1UE

Website: eastsussex.gov.uk/libraries

E-mail:

December 2021

Foreword by Cllr Dowling	2
Executive Summary	4
Our Vision and Strategic Outcomes	12
Review of offers, A needs-based library service	13
Our offer for improving child and adult literacy and numeracy	16
Our offer for supporting the economy	18
Our offer for better health and wellbeing	18
Our offer for increasing digital inclusion	19
Transformation principles	20
Update on accessing the new offers	20
What will be the impact of the Strategy?	31
	36
Community and partner involvement	36
	40
Identified savings	43
Implementing and monitoring the Libraries Strategic Commissioning Strategy	43
Supporting information	44